I've had some discussions with Mike at IWM on this subject back when it changed as I was surprised. The decision was based (if I recall correctly) sales numbers & other contractual agreements. IWM as you all know doesn't just make Battletech stuff, they do contract casting as well as Fantasy figures. A LOT of factors goes into the decision of making more, or less, of a product line. So it may be more than what I recall as I may not have been privy to all the info.
Now...before everyone goes all crazy & says Illegal MWO stuff is taking over, or the game is dying, etc...neither is true.
My personal opinion (which probably stinks in some peoples minds), especially based on my own sites sales, some of the decisions on what miniature to make...aren't the best. Now, I don't know the full process, and it could simply be someone higher up saying "hey make this one", but it could also be some sort of intricate plan that I don't know about.
I think a good deal of catch-up is needed, and I think using the poll option here on the forums or on Battletech International Facebook group (or better yet...both averaged out) would be an AWESOME idea. Poll people with say 15-20 options for the quarterly release schedule. This way, popular vote wins.
Take for instance...how many people actually bough the Vixen 6? Granted, this will be a little skewed since the official record sheet didn't exist until Catalyst gave it to IWM...but seriously...that, and some of the other designs that got variants in "normal distribution" just didn't make good sales sense based ONLY on MY numbers I've sold.
Whereas other...crap people, I couldn't order them fast enough to keep them in stock. I was literally ordering 12 at a time, and could NOT keep them on the shelf. Know how many Vixen 6's I've sold...7, and one of those was to myself.
So if the powers that be read this, which I hope they do, I think a good idea to help increase sales of miniatures, is to do a poll for the general public opinion on what they would like to see based ONLY on STANDARD existing designs that have NOT seen the light of day with a single sculpt. For example, the Xanthos already had a sculpt, did we need the -6O...nope, its a beauty, don't get me wrong, but that over items that haven't had a single mini made??? It just doesn't make sense to me...and many others I've talked to.
And before anyone says polls don't relay TRUE intent on sales...yes, I FULLY understand that, but it will help point people in the right direction for what might sell better than a 6th sculpt of something we already have a boat load of.